<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=ancconference_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/321750/Icon_ANCconference.gif" align=left border=0></a>Party intellectual Pallo Jordan has made his most public call yet on both President Thabo Mbeki and the party’s deputy president Jacob Zuma not to contest the top job. He says the party needs fresh minds to lead it in the 21st century. Jordan argued that Mbeki has effectively been leader of the movement and the government for 15 years.

<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=ancconference_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/321750/Icon_ANCconference.gif" align=left border=0></a>African National Congress (ANC) leaders will not agree to a compromise candidate in the party’s presidential race because this could spark a rebellion among members, ANC national chairperson Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota said this week. Lekota also accused Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi of knowing nothing about the workings of the ANC.

A couple weeks ago, the United States delegation circulated a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for the elimination of rape by governments and armed groups. This draft ­concentrates on rape used for political and military purposes, and remains pending action before the third committee of the General Assembly, writes Dumisani Kumalo.

Defenders of the Koni Media bid for Johncom are trying to discredit the detractors. Former government spokesperson Onkgopotse JJ Tabane believes the critics are racially opposed to black empowerment. Others argue that the concerns are groundless. The Mail & Guardian asked a range of analysts and editors to give their views.

The new government strategy to tackle crime in South Africa will be flawed from the outset unless individuals in key positions are removed, role players in the criminal justice system said this week. The strategy, masterminded by Deputy Justice Minister Johnny de Lange and non-executive director of FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar, aims to overhaul the crime-fighting system.

In May last year Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour told Parliament the country’s two private prisons were too expensive. He promised that the eight new generation prisons to be built would not be operated by private companies and argued for a new model where companies would only be asked to build and maintain prisons, with the department of correctional services running the operational side.

Parliament might soon be able to flex its muscles and force the executive arm of government to take it more seriously. A report with suggested legislation will be tabled in Parliament on November 19 outlining the new role Parliament should play in deciding where the government’s spending priorities lie. This is part of a long tug of war between the national legislature and the national treasury.